In an interview with Jim Varsallone of the Miami Herald, Pop President Brad Schwartz discussed how the deal with TNA came about, meeting TNA months ago which confirms that Destination America had long given TNA notice of their removal from the network.

Recalling the meeting the company had with Dixie Carter and TNA officials, Schwartz said that Pop’s marketing, programming, communications, and research team were all in on the meeting and representatives from CBS and Lionsgate, who jointly own the station, sat at the table as well.

“We were on their list of calls, and they came in [about a couple of months ago], and we had our entire team meet with them and listen to the pitch and listen to what they wanted to do — where they saw the company going, where they saw [pro wrestling] going. That’s how it came to our attention,” Schwartz remarked.

Schwartz said that the decision to give TNA a shot came the day after the meeting. “I’m not spinning this in any way. It’s the truth. When we knew this meeting was happening, there were people like me. I grew up watching wrestling, and I remember going to WrestleMania, and I had my own wrestling name, when I was younger, when we joked around in the basement,” he said.

Calling Dixie Carter “impressive,” Schwartz said that by the time the meeting ended, she had won everyone in the room with her “amazing spirit” and “good, positive energy.”